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Equipment Setup
Heathkit HW-9, feeding random wire antenna through MFJ tuner. 12v Deep cycle (25AH) and Automobile battery Power Source.
Straight Key
Setup was portable, at a campground in CT. Operating from shelter created with the help of some strategically placed plastic sheeting. Using the tailgate of Joe's truck as a table.
Started at 2130Z operated until 2345Z - 2hr 15 min - 4 QSO - 1.78q/h
Restarted at 0015Z operated until 0045Z - 0hr 30 min - 3 QSO - 6q/h
Restarted at 0120Z operated until 0830Z - 7hr 10 min - 20 QSO - 2.79q/hr
Restarted at 1230Z operated until 1825Z - 5hr 55 min - 38 QSO - 6.42q/hr
Total Operating time 15hr 50min - 65 QSO - 4.1q/hr
Lessons Learned
Deep Cycle marine batteries work MUCH better than automobile batteries.
Having a seperate logger for CW contesting is beneficial, as long as the logger can keep up with your speed.
Not having a logger, after having one, is a shock to the system that may be fatal!
November + CT = COLD
Cold + Outside = Low blood flow to extremities.
Building a camp fire near the operating position may result in destruction of log sheets!
2 ops + 3 kids (oldest was 13) = too many kids.
If you DO bring kids, inform them that if they hear a constant funny noise in the middle of the night, don't ignore it.
Get a good night sleep before... (notice the big gap between 0830Z and 1257Z)... This gap was NOT planned. Four things happened:
1. Joe fell asleep.
2. I fell asleep.
3. My hand (now lifeless on the straight key) caused the HW-9 to continuously transmit, thereby Deep-Cycling the Deep-Cycle!
4. As a result of item 3, another hour was spent re-charging the Deep-Cycle from my Sable. This was partially a good thing, as while charging, the heater was on and we were restoring some blood flow to our extremeties!

WB6JBM QRP CW SS 93 Log NRxQKB7AVT86CT

111/6/932157Z15MK0RWL22 A MO 58
211/6/932334Z40MKF8BE19 A MI 88
311/6/932341Z40MW7PLP9 A MDC 55
411/6/932345Z40MK8RDN<25 A MI 59
511/7/930019Z40MK0RC108 B MN 62
611/7/930030Z40MN4USG17 A TN 89
711/7/930039Z40MK4LTA53 B TN 56
811/7/930131Z80MKU8Q211 A OH 61
911/7/930226Z40MKD4CPI22 A STX 91
1011/7/930246Z40MKZ8E192 A MI 79
1111/7/930313Z80MWA8AHV58 A VA 61
1211/7/930333Z80MW0PI252 A MN 58
1311/7/930339Z80MWA3EOQ31 B MDC 65
1411/7/930346Z80MW9LT306 B WV 48
1511/7/930449Z80MW3ERU100 A MDC 55
1611/7/930456Z80MAB4YZ251 B VA 56
1711/7/930500Z80MW4CC361 A IL 61
1811/7/930532Z80MW1VT88 A MA 90
1911/7/930608Z80MN9DHN11 A IN 82
2011/7/930623Z80MKE9A509 B VA 77
2111/7/930630Z80MW5ONL332 B OH 48
2211/7/930643Z80MN9RLO14 A IN 92
2311/7/930715Z40MN0RF800 B CO 62
2411/7/930719Z40MAB5OX83 A STX 93
2511/7/930754Z80MAA0AW411 A MN 86
2611/7/930809Z80MWB8BMV232 B NC 68
2711/7/930815Z80MW0AA624 B MN 19
2811/7/931257Z20MW0RSR210 A CO 61
2911/7/931300Z20MKI3L754 B STX 79
3011/7/931304Z20MWA0IYY196 A MO 64
3111/7/931310Z20MWD4AHZ501 A SFL 76
3211/7/931312Z20MN0DH108 A STX 61
3311/7/931314Z20MW5UDA537 B OK 61
3411/7/931318Z20MW5XJ553 B STX 54
3511/7/931321Z20MN4RJ1083 B GA 77
3611/7/931427Z20MKY7M827 A AZ 72
3711/7/931430Z20MK0IJL476 A MN 58
3811/7/931434Z20MK0HB374 B MN 65
3911/7/931454Z20MK9FD900 B IL 77
4011/7/931458Z20MK6XT834 B SDG 63
4111/7/931503Z20MAD5Q855 A STX 64
4211/7/931526Z15MN5NMX184 Q STX 88
4311/7/931537Z20MK0DEQ504 B MO 55
4411/7/931542Z20MW2WOE432 B WIS 41
4511/7/931554Z40MWA2TON16 A MDC 71
4611/7/931557Z40MN1LYJ7 A WMA 91
4711/7/931601Z40MAA1EX88 A NH 67
4811/7/931610Z40MN2FTR77 A ENY 85
4911/7/931628Z40MKE2WO21 A ENY 88
5011/7/931633Z40MKB1AUO8 A CT 93
5111/7/931642Z40MWB2FOJ43 A EPA 76
5211/7/931656Z40MN2CDD57 A NNJ 71
5311/7/931716Z40MKB2IBP6 A ENY 78
5411/7/931724Z40MKC3QU84 A EPA 46
5511/7/931731Z15MKB0LFV30 A ND 93
5611/7/931747Z40MWU2M221 A WNY 79
5711/7/931750Z40MWA2FVL80 A NNJ 59
5811/7/931754Z40MKB2PSX46 A ENY 93
5911/7/931757Z40MAA3EI70 A MDC 90
6011/7/931801Z40MN2LKF41 A NNJ 82
6111/7/931807Z40MKD2RF48 A WMA 69
6211/7/931812Z40MN3JFF138 A MDC 89
6311/7/931814Z40MN3HUV56 A MDC 65
6411/7/931818Z40MW2TZ845 A WNY 57
6511/7/931825Z40MN2DSY5 A NNJ 75

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© 1997 ripowell@mpna.com